Lab Ideas for Plant Propagation

January 16, 2015

Plant reproduction is one of the core components of plant science. While there are plenty of resources to provide lecture material, it is sometimes hard to find great lab activities to reinforce what they should know. Take a look at the examples below and see what inspires you.

1. Layering using a spider plant. This plant will actually do it on its own if you leave it close to the ground. Strawberry plants will work equally as well.

courtesy of Southeast Polk FFA

2. You can also take individual leaves of some species of plants to asexually reproduce them. Show here are African Violets. Many woody plants will work as well.

courtesy of Pleasant Hill FFA

3. Keep the base from a bunch of celery stalks and replant them.

courtesy of Pinterest

4. Prune stems and keep a few leaves and root them as new plants. Geraniums work great for this. Forsythia, Gardenia, and Hydrangea work as well.

courtesy of Bret Spurgin

5. Don't throw away the crown from a fresh pineapple. Dry it for a week, place the base in water, and plant the newly rooted crown when ready.

courtesy of Daniel Boone FFA

6. It is just a waste to throw out old potatoes that you just never got around to cooking. Place them in a pan with some soil and provide some sun.

courtesy of Pinterest

These are just a few easy examples to get you started with your class. You can also dig up and separate rhizomes for liriope iris , day lilies. All of these methods should require minimal funding and quick results.

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